


last

by mornen



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: AU, Angst, Character Study, Drama, Dysfunctional Family, Engagement, Family Dynamics, Family Issues, Gen, Mirkwood, Political Alliances, The Silmarillion References, request
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 23:15:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29161752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mornen/pseuds/mornen
Summary: The Elves are not leaving Middle-earth. The way to Valinor is Shut. Oropher has survived. Gil-galad has also survived. Unfortunately, the whole business with the not destroying the Ring happened, and Sauron’s still out there. The wizards are like, literally, just trapped on Middle-earth. Sauron’s power is growing.Oropher contemplates his position now that Legolas announces his engagement to Elrohir.
Relationships: Elrohir/Legolas Greenleaf
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	last

Oropher feels a moment of shame pass over him when Legolas announces his engagement to Elrohir. But he pushes it aside, because how is this something to be ashamed of? Many grandparents feel a sense of joy at their grandchildren marrying. A sense of relief even. And he felt both of those, but not for Legolas’s joy. For his safety. Their safety. 

The paths over the sea are shut. There is no escape for the elves who want to leave. Not that Oropher wants to leave. He’ll stand on this land and fight for it until his dying breath – longer even if he refuses the summons of Mandos and stays. He’s heard that is possible. He’d do that. He’ll fight Mandos as long as he can. 

It’s fortunate that it is Thranduil who must react most now. Must get up and hold Legolas in his arms and kiss him. Must take Elrohir and kiss him too. Elrohir is beautiful and powerful, and his father is even stronger. Legolas is young and ridiculous. Oropher breathes a sigh of relief. He stands and kisses Elrohir first, twice on both cheeks, and then Legolas, on his nose and forehead. 

And this will put their realm in closer ties to Rivendell. And Rivendell is strong; it may very well be the last place that falls to Sauron. Oropher touches Elrohir’s hair. It is the shade of Melian’s hair, so black that it is living darkness. Elrohir doesn’t pay him mind. He talks to Thranduil. 

This is news for celebration. Oropher rubs Thranduil’s arm as he passes him and ducks down a narrow corridor. They keep the passages small in the palace. It’s a precaution from invaders, from the spiders. (They’re good at eating enemies, but they are not tame pets.) Everything has been a precaution, but they never get enough peace. They never will.

But this. This is good news. Galadriel is stubborn and too proud, and he is too and that’s why it makes him so angry to see it in her. But still she spies on them, and he knows this, and he cannot stop it. And she makes her realm into some play on Valinor, but she cannot return, and she didn’t when she had the chance, so really she played the wrong hand, and she knows it. So she shuts herself away more, and he can’t be promised that she’d help them. 

But Elrond is better than her, and everyone knows it. And now Legolas is marrying Elrond’s son, and there’s no way that Elrond will leave them stranded. And that’s good. Oropher leans against the wall. He wasn’t going anywhere, just away, and he’s now alone in a drafty, dark part of the palace where the river is running, and you can feel the dampness of it even through the stone. 

And if Celeborn would leave them stranded from Galadriel’s influence before, she won’t now, because Elrohir is her grandchild, and she won’t turn her back on someone that close in kin. His knees give out from him, and he sits quickly so he won’t fall. 

It’s relief. It washes over him. He doesn’t know why his heart is beating so fast now, why his stomach is twisted. It’s relief that feels sick because it makes him realise how much worry he was carrying. And now. Now. 

If he plays this hand right, he could get Elrond’s full protection on them. Galadriel’s half protection. But Rivendell is still rumoured to be the last place that would fall. Elrond is stronger then. He should focus on that. This is good news. This is very good news.

But still it will take him awhile before he can join the others. He shakes with relief that he doesn’t know where to put. There’s a pain in his stab wound. He lost two ribs on that side. But he made it through the wars. He just doesn’t know if he can make it through another one. It’s coming soon.

**Author's Note:**

> anonymous request on tumblr


End file.
